Online Gaming

After looking at the various way in which people interact with one another online, one of the methods that has most stood out to me is the phenomenon of online gaming. In virtual worlds, people can create new identities, relationships, and even careers, either in a fictional world or in something like Second Life, which mirrors the physical world that we live in. For some, this is a means of escapism from the somehow unsatisfactory day-to-day of real life, while for others, it is a hobby that is felt to relieve stress or somehow stimulate a sense of fun or enjoyment from the activities engaged in during play. However, these games and online worlds can also increase feelings of tension, rather than lessening stress or providing a relaxing diversion from an anxious life. Cases of people becoming invested in the realities of their online gaming life are more and more common, as technologies improve and visuals and games become more realistic. This could in part be due to the fact that most of these games or worlds involve a great deal of strategy and skill to play, so people feel as though they are strengthening their ability to critically think and analyze situations carefully. It seems though, that the complexities that these games possess lead people to become more burned out and anxious than relaxed, especially when coupled with the responsibilities of everyday life. 

In addition to affecting us physically (like with strain on eyes and hands due to constant computer use), these games also have an affect on our relationships and emotional state. Games such as World of Warcraft typically have players work in teams, where they can talk to one another via headsets in real time, in order to strategize easily as they play. Those who engage in these games have said that the relationships that they make with these team members are some of the most meaningful relationships that they have, despite the fact that many of these people have never met one another in person and know each other only by the sound of their voice. This seems to me to be a somewhat valid statement, however I would make the provision that while it is possible to form meaningful relationships through these mediums, until they step out of the imaginary realm and into the actual one, these ties remain somewhat weakened. Overall, online gaming, when done in moderation, I think can be a fun diversion that stimulates brain activity, and can help people form relationships with one another from far away. However, the trap that many people fall into with these games is their ability to suck players into these worlds, preventing them from disengaging and thus leading to increased stress and potentially harmful physical side effects.

Consumerism and Technology

This past week when I was working on the midterm for this class, I looked over my notes from the readings and re-listened to a couple of the lectures to help refresh my memory for the responses. Re-reading and listening to the lectures again, I picked up some new points and ideas that I’d missed or not fully considered the first time around. Listening again to the lecture on Karl Marx, I found that some of the ideas that Marx spoke about to be especially relevant in today’s society. In particular, his views on consumerism and production seemed to parallel much of what goes on today with the Internet and new technological gadgets. Marx spoke about how production determines the society, and that as this society continues to create new needs for itself people continually consume and produce in a never-ending cycle. As early as 15 years ago, the cutting edge in the tech world was reserved for computer engineers in government agencies. Now, if I want the cutting edge in a new technology, I can go to my local Apple store and buy it for a pretty high price. Of course, within a month of me buying the newest and best gadget, it will already be outdated because there was one more app or program that people need on their computer or phone, which my computer does not have and without which I’m apparently unable to fully appreciate anything on my month-old MacBook. True to what Marx spoke about, we currently live in a society that is controlled by the software and technology that we produce. 

However, this does not mean that these advancements are completely bad. Thanks to the Internet, we can connect with friends and family far away, pay credit card bills, find information with ease, and even maybe find our future spouse. And now that we have these easy means of communication and consuming, we can’t imagine our lives without it. Innovations that make even the most mundane tasks easier or cooler looking attract our attention and challenge us to think of new or easier ways to perform other day-to-day activities. But through this innovation and increased information, we can also see exactly what we don’t have in our day-to-day lives. Online shopping, entertainment news and celebrity lifestyle websites, online magazine articles talking about the newest car or music player entice us to buy apps and objects that we would otherwise see no reason to purchase. Even if the average person doesn’t buy everything that they see online, social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook draw us in and command our attention. One of my friends recently de-activated his Facebook account, and every time he opens up his Web browser he automatically clicks the tab that sends him to the Facebook homepage, just as an automatic response. I know many other people, self included, that will open up Safari or Firefox with the intention of looking up some piece of information online, and will instead just automatically end up on Facebook, forgetting what they even went online in the first place for. I don’t mean to make the Internet or technology out to be this evil force that’s ruining our lives; in many ways, it’s helped us and our society tremendously. However, I also think that it’s important not to let ourselves be controlled by these technologies, and try to remember that we can live our lives without the latest app or the newest gadget.

Technology and Social Interaction

               As society becomes increasingly “wired in” and uses Internet technologies more and more frequently, concern has arisen regarding just what kind of effect this technology is having on our ability to interact socially. While increased access to technology has expanded our social circles and means of communication with one another, one could also make the case that it has expanded our relationships in the digital world at the price of our interactions in the physical world. Personally, I can definitely make a case for how my relationships have benefitted from these technologies. The ability to text, call, Facebook, or e-mail friends and family who live far away has allowed me to keep in touch with people who I otherwise probably would have lost contact with. However, I would also say that I tend to be less likely to use texting or Facebook solely in order to maintain my relationships – if I want to have a “real” conversation with someone, I’m much more likely to call them or Skype with them than anything else, because I’m better at face-to-face or voice-to-voice interactions than I am with text-driven mediums. I find that without a sense of tone or seeing the person’s facial expressions, I get stressed out and have difficulty figuring out how to interpret and then respond to a text or Facebook message. I don’t know to what extent this is true for others, though. Definitely, the Internet has given people who otherwise might be shy or uncomfortable in social interactions a means of communicating and having a voice in a low-stress and somewhat anonymous environment. For people who suffer from a handicap or social stigma that they feel prevents them from leaving the home to engage in traditional social interactions, Facebook or online chatrooms could be a great means of forming relationships that they otherwise would be unable to make. 

            It’s important to keep in mind, however, that while this ability to interact and find a voice can be beneficial and meaningful, one should try not to become too reliant on these mediums to interact in a social setting. Online dating sites, gaming, or virtual worlds can be good ways to initiate relationships with others, but if users on these sites don’t ever extend their interactions beyond the computer screen, the real intimacy or legitimacy of the relationship can be called into question. Similarly, texting, e-mailing, and social networking can be an effective way to bolster relationships that are affected by distance or busy schedules, but when we’re constantly on the phone checking Facebook, Twitter, or texting, this hinders our ability to engage meaningfully with the conversation at hand and isolates us from one another. These technologies can open up opportunities to new, meaningful, relationships, but they can also damage these very relationships if we let our entire lives be directed by them. To summarize, I feel that our relationships with one another should be supplemented by technology, not limited by it. 

            I would say that, as a society, we already have some useful public forums that people can utilize to engage socially with one another in a physical space. Community programs such as local government meetings, local theater groups, farmer’s markets, athletic clubs, and other social groups exist where the demand or desire for them does. I think that as a society it would perhaps be more beneficial to encourage memberships in these community organizations in order to promote social interaction. By creating open and accepting communities in our physical locations, perhaps we can draw in individuals who would otherwise feel socially isolated or distinct from the group. Ultimately though, it comes down to the individuals who participate in these communities having the desire to interact in the real world rather than the virtual one.